Jigsaw puzzle with similarly shaped and similarly coded subassemblies



United States Patent Henry Allen Wilson 4630 Leona St., Tampa, Florida33609 [21] Appl. No. 701,705

[22] Filed Jan. 30, 1968 [45] Patented Nov. 17, 1970 [72] inventor [54]JIGSAW PUZZLE WITH SIMILARLY SHAPED AND SIMILARLY CODED SUBASSEMBLIES 9Claims, 7 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S. Cl 273/157 [51 Int. Cl A63! 9/10 [50] Field ol'Search 273/156,157

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,276,344 8/1918 Gilman273/157UX 1,345,490 7/1920 Hoy 273/157 1,948,962 2/1934 Decker 273/1573,010,723 11/1961 Moss 273/157 3,403,460 10/1968 Barrows 273/157XFOREIGN PATENTS 110,992 11/1917 Great Britain 273/157 PrimaryExaminerAnton O. Oechsle Attorney-Everett G. Clements ABSTRACT: A jigsawpuzzle comprising a scene printed on one face and a code on the oppositeface. The code is arranged to indicate the zones or subassemblies of thepuzzle in which the separate pieces are fitted. The zones can beindicated by different colors or by different indicia. Complicatedpuzzles can be solved by dividing the pieces into groups containing thecommon zone characteristic to provide a plurality of simple puzzlescapable of simple solution. Such a puzzle is thereby made useful totreat the mentally deficient.

Patented Nov. 17, 1970 3,540,732

INVENTOR Have? flue-N MLso JIGSAW PUZZLE WITII SIMILARLY SHAPED ANDSIMILARLY CODED SUB-ASSEMBLIES THE INVENTION This invention relates to ajigsaw puzzle and particularly to a puzzle which is to be used formental therapeutic purposes.

There are some people who find it difficult to perform anything butsimple tasks. lfthe task appears to be lengthy or have some degree ofdifficulty there is immediate resignation from any attempt to embark onthe performance of the task. It is an object of this invention toprovide a complicated task that can be broken down into a number ofsimple tasks to prevent any resignation and to entice continuousactivity.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a complicated puzzlefor use by the young or mentally troubled or retarded to induce them toenter upon tasks that they would normally shirk. I

In accordance with the invention a complicated jigsaw puzzle is reducedinto a number of simple puzzles, each of which will entice a patient toembark on an attempt to complete the task of assembly.

A complete understanding of the invention will be manifest upon readingthe accompanying description in conjunction with the drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 discloses the scene illustrated by the complete puzzle with onlysome of the division lines indicating the interlocking segment of theunit puzzle being shown;

FIG. 2 discloses the back face of the puzzle unit showing one mode ofcoding the interlocking segments;

FIG. 3 is similar to FIG. 2 illustrating a modified form of coding;

FIG. 4 is similar to FIG. 2 illustrating another form of coding;

FIG; 5 is similar to FIG. 2 illustrating a fourth form of coding:

FIG. 6 illustrates a pair of assembled interlocking segments; and

FIG. 7 illustrates the coding on a single segment.

FIG. I is illustrative of a complete scene which can be assembled fromthe individual interlocking pieces of the puzzle ofthe instantinvention. As is usual, the scene is composed ofa plurality ofindividual pieces 2, 4 which are interfitted as shown in FIG. 6,however, the outlines 6 indicating the shape of the individual pieceshave been largely omitted for the sake of clarity. Each piece however isprovided on one face 8 thereof with a portion of the scene and is alsoprovided on its opposite face 10 with a code to indicate a zone of thescene in which the piece is fitted. Both scene and code can be printed.

In FIG. 2 the coded portion of the puzzle is shown and comprises fourzones or subassemblies I2, l4, l6, 18 arranged as annularly disposedsegments. Each segment is printed with a different color as indicated bythe various hatching designs, or the segments can be printed with thesame color but with the design of each segment being as disclosed by thehatching. Each zone is shown, of course, as separated by outlines 6which indicate the lines of demarcation, however, between the pieceshave been largely omitted for the sake of clarity.

In FIG. 3 is illustrated another form of coding. In this form aplurality of radially disposed lines 20 of different configurationsand/or colors are supplied. The lines6 of demarcation between the pieceshave again been largely omitted.

In FIG. 4 the form of coding comprises a plurality of concentric rings22, 24. 26, 28 and 30 each ring being of different color and/or designas indicated with respect to FIG. 2. The lines of demarcation betweenthe pieces have been largely omitted from the FIG. as the rings may becircles as illustrated. which cut across the lines of demarcation 6, asillustrated, by the pair of pieces 32, 34 or may be formed along thebordering lines 6, as in FIG. 2.

In FIG. 5 the coding comprises four zones 36, 38, 40 and 42, a completedring 44 and an outer ring of segments 46. 48. 50 and 52. The lines ofdemarcation of the pieces of the puzzle have not been illustrated butthe separation between the codmg zones can either follow the lines ofdemarcation between the pieces in adjacent zones or can be made to crossthe demarcation lines to provide curves of uniform radius and segmentshaving straight radial lines. In this form of the invention as in theother forms heretofore described the zones can be printed with differentcolors or/and printed with different designs and the same color asindicated by the the design of the hatching as shown.

- The difficulty of solution of the puzzles can be varied by changingthe number, shape, color, and/or design of the coding zones.

In use, the pieces of the puzzle are intermixed and placed face'down ona supporting surface. The pieces are then arranged in groupsor pileshaving the same code and assembled. By noticing the arrangement of thepieces they can'be reassembled face up to produce the scene. Complexpuzzles can be thus assembled by reducing the puzzle to a plurality ofsimple puzzles. 7

While the illustrated puzzles are shown circular it is obvious that anydesired shape could be used, i.e. rectangular, octagonal etc.

Iclaim:

l. A jigsaw puzzle comprising a plurality of releasably interlockedsegments depicting a scene on one face and a coding means comprisingsimilarly shaped subassernblies of segments defining zones on. theopposite face for indicating the portion of the scene to which eachsegment appertains, and indicia means on each segment of each saidsubassembly, the indicia means of the segments of the same zone beingthe same with the indicia means ofthe different zones being different.

2. A puzzle as defined in claim 1 wherein the coding means comprises aplurality of zones of different colors.

3. A puzzle as defined in claim 2 wherein the zones are arranged in aplurality of concentric rings.

4. A puzzle as defined in claim 2 wherein the zones are arranged in aplurality of annularly disposed segments.

5. A puzzle as defined in claim 2 wherein the coding means comprises aplurality of radially arranged lines each having an individualcharacteristic.

6. A puzzle as defined in claim 2 wherein the zones are arranged with acenter area of annularly disposed segments and -concentric ringssurrounding the center area.

.7. A puzzle as defined in claim 2 wherein the coding means comprises acenter area of annularly disposed segments, a ring surrounding saidsegments, and a segmental ring surrounding said first ring.

